In pursuance to the announcement of 100 days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Sources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance Finding out In Higher Education Sector was drafted.
BACKGROUND
1. In terms of Entry 66 of List 1 of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Parliament is competent to make laws for the coordination and determination of requirements in institutions for higher education for study, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this duty via: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for basic Higher Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards higher education, by way of the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, amongst other individuals: (a) To offer possibilities for greater education to a massive segment of population, especially disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural areas, adults, housewives and functioning persons and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the nation and to coordinate and figure out the requirements in such systems.
two. The history of distance understanding or education through distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities started offering education by means of distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/College of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce had been presented through correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to different factors, including limited number of seats in normal courses, employability, challenges of access to the institutions of larger finding out and so on., could not get themselves enrolled in the traditional `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.
3. In the current previous, the demand for larger education has improved enormously all through the country since of awareness about the significance of larger education, whereas the program of higher education could not accommodate this ever growing demand.
4. Below the circumstances, a quantity of institutions which includes deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have began cashing on the scenario by supplying distance education programmes in a significant quantity of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management and so on., and at various levels (certificate to below-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is usually a danger that some of these institutions may well turn into `degree mills’ providing sub- typical/poor top quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded through the distance mode. This calls for a far larger degree of coordination amongst the concerned statutory authorities, primarily, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its authority – the Distance Education Council (DEC).
5. Government of India had clarified its position in respect of recognition of degrees, earned via the distance mode, for employment below it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.
six. In spite of the dangers referred to in para four above, the significance of distance education in supplying good quality education and instruction can’t be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an essential function for:
(i)offering chance of understanding to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, working persons, residence-wives etc.
(ii)giving chance to working professionals to update their knowledge, enabling them to switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for profession advancement.
(iii)exploiting yoursite.com of Data and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the teaching and finding out procedure and
(iv)attaining the target of 15% of GER by the finish of 11th Program and 20% by the finish of 12th five year Program.
7. In order to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and maintenance of the standards in Larger Education, by guaranteeing coordination amongst several statutory regulatory authorities as also to guarantee the promotion of open and distance education system in the country to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of individuals for greater education, the following policy in respect of distance understanding is laid down:
(a) In order to assure correct coordination in regulation of standards of higher education in distinctive disciplines by means of many modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to ensure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for Larger Education and Study shall be established in line with the suggestions of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Knowledge Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance
Education of the said Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of education by means of the distance mode. Pending establishment of this body:
(i) Only these programmes, which do not involve substantial practical course operate, shall be permissible by means of the distance mode.
(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, as the case may perhaps be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be offered via the distance mode indicating the quantity of expected credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self studying material, hours of study, contact classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation approach, grading and so forth.
(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance education programmes by a team of experts, whose report shall be placed prior to the Council of DEC for consideration.
(iv) The approval shall be offered only right after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the objective, minimum quantity of mandatory meetings of DEC may possibly be prescribed.
(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to make sure accreditation of the programmes in Pc Sciences, Info Technologies and Management purposed to be presented by an institute/university via the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed below section 20 (1) of their respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing standards for several programmes/courses, supplied by way of the distance mode under their mandate,